Summary
A Caribbean Mystery is a 1983 American made-for-television mystery film based on the 1964 Agatha Christie novel A Caribbean Mystery and starring Helen Hayes as Miss Marple.
| A Caribbean Mystery | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime Mystery Drama |
| Based on | A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie |
| Written by | Sue Grafton Steven Humphrey |
| Directed by | Robert Michael Lewis |
| Starring | Helen Hayes |
| Music by | Lee Holdridge |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Stan Margulies |
| Production location | Santa Barbara, California |
| Cinematography | Ted Voigtlander |
| Editor | Les Green |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Production company | Warner Bros. Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | October 22, 1983 |
Cast edit
- Helen Hayes as Miss Jane Marple
- Barnard Hughes as Mr Rafiel
- Jameson Parker as Tim Kendall
- Season Hubley as Molly Kendall
- Swoosie Kurtz as Ruth Walter
- Cassie Yates as Lucky Dyson
- Stephen Macht as Greg Dyson
- Zakes Mokae as Captain Daventry
- Beth Howland as Evelyn Hillingdon
- Maurice Evans as Major Geoffrey Palgrave
- Lynne Moody as Victoria Johnson
- George Innes as Edward Hillingdon
- Brock Peters as Dr Graham
Production edit
Stan Margulies had the rights to eight Christie books. He made a TV movie of Christie's Murder Is Easy. It was a success and the Christie estate liked it, enabling him to get the rights to Caribbean Mystery. He made it around the time of another Christie adaptation, Sparkling Cyanide. Marguiles had to update the stories to the present day because he was unable to do period pieces on a TV movie budget. Because the films were made for American TV, he also insisted on the freedom to cast at least one American actor in the cast.[1]
Marguiles offered Hayes the part of Marple after using her in Murder Is Easy. Hayes said she turned down the role at first because she "adored" the character of Marple "and I didn't want to follow Margaret Rutherford... I can't be that funny."[2]
Filming edit
The film was shot in Santa Barbara. Hayes said "a lot of things were against us. Like frigid cold and rain every day. We worked indoors while it poured and poured, and when it stopped, we tried to make it look like the tropics. I was wearing light clothes over thermal underwear."[3]
Hayes found the dialogue for Marple difficult. "She has all the summing up, all the exposition. All those lines! I told the producer... 'I can't learn all that stuff.' One of the nice parts about being a star is that the lesser-paid actors have to do the exposition. I haven't done exposition for 50 years."[3]
Reception edit
The New York Times said the film "has its engaging moments, thanks primarily to an exceptionally good cast."[4]
The film was popular with viewers. Hayes reprised her role as Marple in Murder with Mirrors (1985).
Legacy edit
The film was seen on TV by writer Richard Levinson who noted its ratings success. He thought of doing a regular mystery show about a Marple-like detective, who was a mystery writer like Agatha Christie. This led to Murder, She Wrote.[5]
References edit
- ^ English actor to bring Agatha Christie to the contemporary scene of California Buck, Jerry. Chicago Tribune 19 July 1983: b5.
- ^ Helen Hayes talks about theater, aging, and her role as Miss Marple: ON TV HAYES By Arthur Unger. The Christian Science Monitor 21 Oct 1983: 21.
- ^ a b At 82, Helen Hayes is still a going concern The Globe and Mail23 July 1983: E.5.
- ^ TV WEEKEND; MARATHONS, AT THE MET AND ON FOOT: [Review] O'Connor, John J. New York Times21 Oct 1983: C.34.
- ^ ANGELA LANSBURY'S UNLIKELY SLEUTH HAS STAYING POWER: [Review] HARMETZ, ALJEAN. New York Times 27 Oct 1985: A.25.